Projects

In order to ensure that its goals are achieved, SADC has several common projects, in several fields.

One of its most important objectives is the proper management of the region's water ressources. 

As we all know, African continent is threatened by harsh climatic conditions, such as long and severe droughts. Therefore, the struggles over the control of rivers and lakes is a recurrent problem; governments strive to secure their dominance in those lucky areas where water is not short.

As we can now observe, most of the rivers and watercourses shape the borders, which could explain the conflicts.

The SADC has created a legal regulation for the shared watercourses managements in its region, the Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses (1995). This protocol not only promotes the fair sharing of this precious ressource, with which the conflicts between nations should cease, but also establishes the polluter-pays principle (PCP), created in the Earth Summit. 

This protocole was followed by the creation of the Orange-Senqu River Commission, an agreement between the governments of Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

Another issue that has been discussed for quite some time in the SADC is the migration management. In fact, this matter has always been uncomfortable to deal with, as paranoia and fear block any attempt of reaching a settlement. In 1995, for instance, South Africa refused and killed the SADC Draft Protocol on Free Movement. 

However, despite of all the obstacles, a Migration Protocol was finally signed in Mauritius in September 1998, a protocol akin to those of trading or education.

In this map, we can see how the percentage of people of SADC origin living in this area of South Africa, from 1996 to 2011. 

Another project in which the SADC is focused is in the development of small-scale mining.
Even though not all of the countries involved are known for their mining wealth, this industry does not cease to be one of the most important in the region.

Here we can see the SADC mines and its state of operating in 2013.